


Here We Go Again

by LarirenShadow



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: F/M, Zutara Week, Zutara Week 2014
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-13
Updated: 2014-07-19
Packaged: 2018-02-08 17:24:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 7,161
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1949757
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LarirenShadow/pseuds/LarirenShadow
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Zuko and Katara have to go to a wedding together.  Zutara Week Day 7 Slow Dancing</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Melancholy

**Author's Note:**

> This is going to be a collection of one shots for this years Zutara Week, like always.

She planned everything. They were going to have a reunion at the Jasmine Dragon to celebrate having known each other for five years. She picked the day she and Sokka found Aang in the iceberg because that’s where everything began (even if Toph had grumbled about not being there). She made sure no one had any conflicts and even made sure to put the day on Zuko’s calendar. She came a week early to help Iroh set up rooms for everyone and to get a head start on planning activities.

No one showed up. Letters came in with excuses. Sokka and Suki were stuck in the South Pole that had been hit by a huge storm (forgivable). Toph was working on setting up a new police force in Yu Dao (she could take a break). Aang’s letter talked about some spirit issue but ended up digressing into a plea to forgive him because he thought he found wild sky bison and had to check on them now (bison would still be there in a week). Zuko didn’t even bother writing.

“I’m sure Zuko had something really important come up,” Iroh said as he refilled her tea cup. The afternoon sun filtered through the windows turning turning the room a pleasant orange color. Katara thought it would have been great for everyone to see it. Maybe Sokka could have even drawn another picture. 

“So important he couldn’t even bother to send a messenger hawk?” She grumbled.

“Maybe he’s dealing with an uprising again,” Iroh suggested. Katara immediately felt guilty for all the nasty thoughts she had about Zuko.

“Is there anyway to know? Maybe he needs help. I could try to get there-”

“Sorry I’m late!” Zuko said as he rushed into the Jasmine Dragon. “We had problems with the zeppelin on the way here and then Kuei insisted that I needed a formal reception even though I told him I wasn’t here as the Fire Lord but to visit friends...where is everyone?” 

“Nephew I knew you’d make it!” Iroh said happily as he stood to hug Zuko. “Now why do you take Katara out to dinner, she’s depressed no one else showed up.”

“What?” Zuko asked as he looked over his uncle’s shoulder to see Katara.

“Everyone else couldn’t make it. Sokka and Suki are stuck and Toph and Aang came up with some lame excuses. If they didn’t want to come then they should have just told me rather than make up some excuse.”

“I’m sure they did,” Zuko said as he let go of Uncle. “They just...were busy?”

“If you can make it and rule a country I don’t think they’re too busy,” she took a sip of her tea. “And there’s no need to take me out, I bought food to make for everyone and its just going to go to waste if I don’t use it. If you want to stay for dinner that’s fine with me but maybe you should go play ruler with Kuei since you’re here.”

Zuko didn’t even need Uncle’s elbow to the side to know what he should do. “I’ll help.”

“Fine, do you know how to prepare lemongrass?” She asked. 

“I can do whatever you want if you tell me what to do,” he offered.

“Take off your Fire Lord hair piece and put on an apron.” Zuko dutifully followed her into the kitchen and grabbed the extra apron off the hook. “Here,” she handed him the stalk, “peel the outer leaves off, then cut the bottom off. Slice the about two thirds into rings and then mash them in this,” she handed him a mortar and pestle. “After that boil it in water for five minutes, I’ll drain it.” Zuko nodded and began to work. Katara took out carrots and began peeling them. Zuko worked meticulously, glancing at Katara every so often to see what she was doing. She progressed to potatoes, then to onions. She sniffled and Zuko hoped it was from the onions.

As he waited for the water to boil Katara put down her knife and said “am I really not that important?”

“What?”

She sniffled again and Zuko watched her discreetly rub her eyes with the back of her hand. “I planned everything and let everyone know months ago. I can forgive Sokka because he can’t plan a storm but why can’t Toph and Aang come? Are their lives so important that they can’t even be bothered to see me?”

Zuko’s first thought was ‘what would Katara do to make this better?’ He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into an awkward hug. “You’re important,” he told her as he rubbed her back.

“Then why didn’t anyone else come?”

“Because they’re idiots,” he said. “And I came, see you’re worth it and over dinner you can tell me everything you have planned and I’ll even pretend to be excited.”

She laughed softly before hitting his arm. “You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to.”

“No I’m sure whatever you have planned is great and it’ll be really fun.”

“I’ll remind you of that when we go to the Haiku House.”

“Uh, actually, maybe not that.”

“Oh, poetry not your thing?” He shook his head. “We can do something else then.” She pulled him a little closer. “Thank you,” she murmured.

“For what?”

“For coming and for trying to make me feel better.” She held him a little longer. “Your water is boiling.”

“Right, if you let go we can finish.” She did with a smile. 

The week didn’t go at all as Katara hoped but, in the end, she did have a good vacation with Zuko.


	2. Jubilant

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alternatively titled "The Five Times Zuko is Happy and the One Time He's Jubilant"
> 
> And thanks Mneme for two of the situations!

They’ve been at the beach house for a day. They all pitched in (minus Toph) to help clean out six rooms and the kitchen. They made the abandoned house liveable. Zuko’s tired and still feels slightly dirty from all the dust they’ve kicked up. 

Now it’s dinner time and Katara actually smiles when she hands him a bowl and he hears his (possible) friends laughing and, even though this could all be gone in a few weeks and the future is entirely uncertain, Zuko is happy.

Especially when Katara smiles at him again.

~*~*~

He should commiserate with her. He should try to comfort her and tell her everything will get better but that it’s ok to cry. He’s pretty sure his uncle drilled these things into his head at some point (one of the many lessons on how to communicate with ladies). 

He doesn’t care. He’s going to be let himself be happy about her break up for a few minutes because now maybe he has a shot.

So he let’s Katara cry to him for the night. The next day he does the same for Aang because that’s what friends do.

But he’s still happy and counting the days until he can ask Katara out.

~*~*~

While Aang was looking for skybison he found something else entirely unexpected. Zuko isn’t sure how to react to the news. He’s excited and nervous as he rushes to show the letter to Katara. She smiles and says “stranger things have happened. Do you want me to go with you?” He nods.

It takes a little while to find the exact location but when they arrive he can tell. There’s caves and it’s up high and isolated. 

“Do you think they’ll just come out?” She asks as she stares into one of the caves.

“I don’t think so.” He begins firebending and soon there’s dragons crawling from caves. He finishes the dancing dragon and bows. They come out and sniff around him and Katara. He can tell she’s a little scared so he takes her hand. He places his other hand on a large red dragon. “I’m sorry,” he says, apologizing for everything his nation has done to them.

They watch the dragons for awhile. “Are you going to let the Fire Nation know?” Katara asks as the sun begins to set.

He shrugs. “I’m not sure how, other than taking them back with me.”

They turn to head back to their air balloon. As they begin their climb now he feels something crawl up his leg. He looks and there’s a tiny red dragon looking up at him. “Hey little dragon, you can’t come with me.” He trudges back to the caves and puts the dragon on the ground. The dragons that are still out take no notice of their returned little one. He bends down and whispers “does no one want you?” The dragon crawls up on to his shoulders. “I guess you’re coming with me,” he tells the dragon with a smile.

“New friend?” Katara asks when he returns.

He hasn’t stopped smiling. “He’s how I’m going to tell everyone the dragons aren’t extinct and to stop hunting them.”

~*~*~

It’s the first family dinner he’s had in years. Well, about as family as his gets. But Azula has been having good days and she’s being civil with Mom. Uncle is visiting too and everything feels right.

“Did you and Azula ever play games as kids?” Kiyi asks. She’s desperate to know everything she can about her siblings.

“Uh, well, see we played…” he tries to explain that they didn’t so much play games as have competitions.

“Oh Zuko how could you forget,” Azula cuts in. “We used to play Love Amongst the Dragons all the time.” She turns and actually smiles a relatively nice smile at her little sister. “Remember to always be the Dragon Emperor,” she tells Kiyi who laughs.

“Is that why you used that mask nephew?” Iroh asks. Zuko feels his face heat up but he can’t help grinning because yes, being the Dark Water Spirit is exactly why Zuko choose that mask (he always felt bad for that character). 

~*~*~

He’s dancing, actually more like stumbling to music, but no one seems to care. It seems like everyone in the Southern Water Tribe is celebrating Sokka and Suki’s wedding. At least the Avatar is also flying around the dance floor in a much more graceful way.

Then Katara’s in his arms and she’s grinning up at her boyfriend. “Hi,” she says and he can smell some of the polar spirits on her breath.

“Hi,” he murmurs as he leans down to kiss her. 

“I think I like weddings,” she tells him as he takes her around the dance floor once before heading to sit down and maybe get her some water.

“Really?”

“Mmhm,” she giggles then. “You know I think the next wedding we go to will be ours.”

He forgets to breathe for a second. Sure they’ve talked about it but there’s never been a formal question or even anything more than what ifs. But he’s not opposed to the idea, not at all in fact. “And what makes you so sure,” he teases as he helps her sit down.

“Because I just asked you to marry me, silly.”

In the morning she doesn’t actually remember asking but she doesn’t say no when he brings it up.

~*~*~

It’s been two weeks since their wedding. They’ve finally peeled themselves away from each other and trudged back into the world.

He’s seated with his council and Katara’s at his side. It’s been a long road to get here, so many of them said they’d never acknowledge her as their Fire Lady. It took Zuko threatening to feed whoever didn’t welcome Katara to Druk to get them to stop (what they don’t know is that Druk would never actually eat any of them and Zuko is sure his dragon wouldn’t attack people).

Katara brings up an excellent point about the budget.

The councilman who’s been the most vocal against Katara says, without a hint of sarcasm, “Excellent point, Fire Lady Katara.” Katara beams and Zuko is ecstatic. It’s a start to them truly accepting her and he couldn’t be more happy.


	3. Motorcycle

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Modern AU time

Sokka is an idiot. This is a fact Katara is going to tell her brother every damn day for the rest of his life. She’s going to remind him he’s a special kind of idiot for buying that motorcycle in the first place.

He just has to make it through surgery first.

She watched the waiting room empty as the night wore on. So far the kind doctor has come out twice. First to tell her his initial report (they were taking him in for x-rays, there was probably internal bleeding, he was conscious most of the ambulance ride) and then to tell her that Sokka was headed for surgery to remove his ruptured spleen.

That had been an hour or so ago and she’d already paced away all of her adrenaline. She felt drained as she slumped back into the cushioned chair. She’d called everyone to give an update: Dad was already trying to make travel arrangements and Gran Gran promised to send get well goodies for both of them. They both agreed that Sokka was going to sell whatever was left of that damn bike and Dad promised to stay with them through Sokka’s recovery. It made Katara feel almost like a little kid but at the moment she kind of wanted to be taken care of.

The combination of the fluorescent lights and bright white walls was beginning to give Katara a headache. She twisted until she was curled up in two seats. She closed her eyes, hoping some news would come soon.

She jerked awake when she felt something being placed on her. “What the hell?” She asked groggily.

“Sorry,” a gruff voice said. “I thought you could use a blanket.”

“A what?” She looked down at the green hospital blanket now half on the floor. “Oh, uh, thank you.” She looked up at the stranger. He was tall, with messy black hair that was mostly in his eyes. His left eye had a scar around it. She silently admitted he looked very good in his black shirt and jeans. She discreetly tried to tell if she’d been drooling.

“No problem, I know sleeping here isn’t that comfortable,” he admitted.

“You’ve been here a lot?” Then she bit her lip. “Sorry, I mean, if you don’t want to talk about it I understand.”

He sat down on the rickety plastic table next to a pile of month old magazines. “My uncle’s here for heart surgery. Apparently he’s known his aortic valve would need to be replaced since he was a kid. It just snuck up on him.”

“I’m sorry,” she told him, he waved his hand dismissively. “And you’re still here this late at night because?”

“I’d much rather be here than my apartment and sometimes they let me sneak in to see him. Plus it’s an excuse to keep his coffee shop closed for a little while. I’m sure all the summer students are going through caffeine withdrawal now.”

“Wait, your uncle owns a coffee shop? The one where they actually have really good tea and will let you keep a table for hours even if all you ordered is a cup of coffee?” She asked.

“Yeah.”

“I love that place! It got me through so many chem study sessions it’s not even funny.”

“Chem major?”

“Well kind of. I was pre-med but decided I wanted to also do social work. So I changed my major but I’m kind of reconsidering now just to terrify my brother even more when he tries to buy another motorcycle.”

He laughed weakly. “Accident then?” She nodded. “I’m sure he’ll be fine.”

“Sokka does have a thick skull, maybe that helped.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Sokka?”

“That would be my brother’s name.”

“I know him.”

Her mouth dropped open in surprise. “What?”

“We shared a suite when he was a sophomore and I was a junior.”

“You’re the loner guy who got the single room!” She blushed. “I mean, not that we called you that. It’s just, well, ok I did call you that to my friends.”

He shrugged. “It’s ok, I wasn’t really too sociable.”

“And you are now?”

“Uh,” it was his turn to blush, “see I kind of also work at Uncle’s. He let’s me work around my grad school schedule and, uh, I’ve kind of noticed you. I just never really thought of a good way to say hi and now is a terrible time but, well, I thought the blanket would at least be nice.”

“You know that’s kind of creepy.”

“Yeah, I’ll just be going.” He stood up.

She grabbed his hand. “But I could maybe go for a vending machine hot chocolate and some company before I dig a hole in the floor from pacing.”

“You don’t want vending machine coffee?”

She wrinkled her nose. “I had some earlier and I’m pretty sure that it’s just brown water and hopefully the hot chocolate would be better.”

Vending machine hot chocolate turned into throwing M&Ms into each others mouths. The night receptionist glared at the the entire time. Especially when Zuko missed and the M&M ended up hitting one of the few other people waiting.

Finally the doctor came out and called for her. “He’s out of surgery,” he said solemnly, “and everything looks good. He’s still asleep right now but you can see him. He has bruised ribs as well and he’s lucky that’s the worst of it. You can see him now if you want.” She grabbed Zuko’s hand as he talked.

“Yes please,” she said as she followed the doctor, without letting go. Zuko tagged along her wordlessly.

Sokka looked almost peaceful as he slept. Katara took in the road rash and bruises on his arms. The beeping of the heart monitor was strangely comforting. “Thank you for coming,” she whispered.

“No problem.”

Katara finally let go and went over to kiss her brother’s forehead. “When you wake up there’s going to be hell to pay,” she promised. She turned back to Zuko. “So, I kind of owe you for this whole thing. Maybe breakfast?”

“Can it be soon? I want to see Uncle before his surgery.”

“Now is good and I’ll stay with you, if you want.” He smiled.

“I’d like that.”

Years later they liked to tell people they met in a hospital.


	4. Cobalt Blue

It started with a gift from her mother-in-law. Katara loved the tea set, especially the intricate blue dragons painted on the white cups. “They’re perfect,” she told Ursa honestly.

Ursa smiled. “Thank you. I got them for a little shop in Hira’a. The potter says she learned about the color in the Earth Kingdom and brings in as much as she can. She thinks it makes a nice contrast with all the red.”

Katara nodded. “If you wouldn’t mind I think I’d like to have a set of dishware made for the palace.”

“You’re going to throw a party and have all those stuck up noblewomen there, aren’t you?” Ursa asked.

Katara sighed dramatically. “You know me too well. But it would be nice to see their faces and try to tell me they think its hideous when I also say you recommended it to me.”

“You’re going to out maneuver them all in the end and I’m just going to enjoy watching you.”

~*~*~

Katara personally went to go visit the potter. The woman woman tried to humble herself to her new Fire Lady. Katara told her to stop or she wouldn’t buy anything. Then she asked how that particular blue pigment was made. The woman explained it was from a mineral that was mined in the Earth Kingdom. She made a paint out of it and, to preserve the color, she glazed all of her items after the paint dried. 

They worked together to finalize the design for the set of dishware and Katara happily paid more than the potter asked. 

~*~*~

Katara presided over her little gathering just like Zuko over his council. It helped that most of the women there were, in fact, wives or sisters or even daughters of council members (and Katara grumbled to Zuko about how he had no women involved and Zuko told her very plainly that yes, the Fire Nation was advanced but somethings they thought should be left to grumpy old men). So she was left to entertain. She planned out the menu of simple soup with mushrooms and pig-chicken in a sweet plum sauce. That included at least two dish changes and she was happy to see the looks of distaste when her new bowls were used.

“Fire Lady,” on of the old biddys began in her most condescending tone, “it seems you have acquired new dishware.”

“Of course, I’ve heard its tradition every new wife of the Fire Lord has her own set made. Fire Lady Ilah’s was most exquisite,” Katara matted that woman’s tone and tried very hard not to laugh or hear Toph calling her Madame Fussybritches in her head.

“Uh, yes, I know, but maybe you should consider a better-” the woman tried to argue.

“Actually,” Ty Lee’s sister began and Katara once again wished she could remember the woman’s actually name and not just keep calling her Ty Lee 2. “I really like the wave pattern on these and how it morphs into a dragon. Very appropriate considering the two of you. Plus I think they’re very pretty. Where did you get them?”

And with that Katara officially made the little potter in Hira’a one of the most sought after craftsmen in all of the Fire Nation.

~*~*~

“Mom says the potter just had to hire fourteen new people: seven to make the pottery and then seven artists to decorate them,” Zuko said as he read the letter from his mother on the bed.

“I knew it was worth it,” Katara said as she climbed in next to him. “Did she say anything else?”

“Yeah that the potter asked her who she should double her prices for.”

“I hope Ty Lee 2 got a fair price,” Katara said as she curled up next to Zuko.

“She has a name you know,” Zuko told her before kissing her forehead.

“And one day I’ll learn it.”

“What makes this so special anyway?”

Katara shrugged. “It’s a really pretty shade of blue.”

“Does it has a name?”

“Cobalt.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this prompt happened. Apparently the color in some Chinese pottery is cobalt blue, hence why the pigment in this comes from the Earth Kingdom.


	5. Unrequited

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really like this one.

Crushes were terribly inconvenient, in Katara’s opinion. They either caused you to do stupid things (see Haru and getting captured on the prison rig) or blinded you to the truth about someone (see Jet) or didn’t happen when they should (see Aang).

Aang was currently a problem for her. On the one hand she knew she should like him. He was sweet and caring and fun. He tried to make sure she was happy and tried to listen to her. In all she should have a crush on Aang. She should like in a way that makes her stomach do flips. She did like him, it just was in the same way she liked Sokka and Toph (well, when Toph wasn’t trying to annoy her). No all the wrong boys made her stomach do flips and she was tired of it.

Take her current crush: Zuko. She didn’t hate him anymore. Since the war ended they were, in fact, friends. Which made her stomach flipping whenever she saw him highly inconvenient. Not to mention the fact that he’d made up with Mai.

No Katara was doomed to like boys she shouldn’t and pine after them. She resigned herself to this fact and was starting to come to terms with it when Zuko decided he needed to visit the Southern Water Tribe.

“How many more days till your boyfriend comes?” Sokka teased as he helped her wash dishes. Gran Gran told both of them that, even though they’d helped end the Hundred Years War and were friends with the Avatar that did not excuse them for chores.

“Will you stop! You know he’s not my boyfriend and I can’t even believe you’re saying that! Shouldn’t you want me to date, I don’t know, Aang?” She said before flicking water at him.

“No magic water-”

“Bending master!”

“And Zuko and Aang are my best guy friends but, well, Zuko and I get along really well at times and we can talk about pointy and meaty things. I wouldn’t mind you two dating,” he said with a shrug.

“That’s it? You like talking to him a little better than Aang and that makes him the perfect boyfriend for me?”

“That and I’ve seen him terrified of you and he really tried to impress you so, yeah, if you two ever get in a fight he’s going to basically crawl back to you and I like to know that.”

“Aang would too.”

“Yeah but you can also take Zuko in a fight. Aang can go all Avatar state and that’s not fair.”

Katara splashed him again. “I’m glad you’re looking out for me.”

~*~*~

Zuko finally arrived (a day late thank you very much) and Katara decidedly ignored how her stomach flipped when she saw him and especially how happy she felt when he smiled at her. She personally gave him a quick tour of their new buildings (and pointed out that the ice was still thin where he rammed his ship through) then saw him to his room to rest. She did not think about how good he looked even in his slightly bulky red coat and did not like that people looked at them approvingly.

She tried to avoid him for the rest of his trip. Well not so much avoid just not be alone with. Her stupid crush was plaguing her to the point where Zuko would enter the room and she’d see him and her heart would race and she couldn’t help but smile and this was entirely stupid. She was going to have to figure out how to get over this and be his friend again because she really wanted to talk to him about this and see if there was a way to get over it.

Zuko finally cornered her one afternoon. She’d been practicing waterbending with a few of the Northern benders who came down (and thoroughly beating them) and was heading back inside to begin to make dinner. Instead of going into her house like normal someone grabbed her arm and pulled her off to the side. She quickly whipped water in the general direction of her attacker. That was met with a short blast of fire. That got her attention. “What in the name of all spirits do you think you’re doing Zuko?” She accused as she wrenched her hand out of his.

“Getting you to talk to me! I’ve been here four days and you’ve been avoiding me!”

“I have not!” She yelled like a petulant child.

“Oh yes you have. You make excuses not to be around me and it looks like you’re counting the minutes until it’s polite for you to excuse yourself!” He took a deep breathe. “What did I do this time?” He demanded.

“You’ve done nothing wrong!”

“That’s a lie or you would be willing to spend time with me! Just tell me!”

“There’s nothing to tell!”

“You’re acting like my idiotic councillors when they do something wrong!”

“Don’t you dare compare me to them!”

“Then grow up!”

“Fine,” she spat. “You want to know why I’m avoiding you? I don’t want to ask about you and Mai.”

“But you never want to talk about her!”

“Yes but it’s the nice thing to do!”

“Fine!” he started pacing and distinctly not looking at her. “Look Mai and I broke up again awhile ago.”

She looked at her feet. “Oh.”

“Oh? That’s all you have to say?”

She looked up at him. “Of course. Or do you want me to say I’m so sorry for your break up because I’m not really sorry. I know you liked her but I...I…” she trailed off not willing to finish that sentence. 

“Let me guess you didn’t like her.”

“She was perfectly nice,” Katara countered. 

“But?”

“But just not for you,” she finally admitted. Zuko stopped pacing right in front of her.

“Do you want to know why we broke up this time?” He asked.

“You locked her in prison again?”

“Ha ha, no. She said that I liked someone else and it was kind of pathetic that the girl didn’t like me at all.”

Katara immediately hated that girl. “Well that’s a shame,” she said sarcastically. 

“Well you were never interested!”

Katara thought she heard wrong. “What do you mean I wasn’t interested?”

“You threatened to kill me!”

“Ha! I do that to Sokka like three times a day.” Then her brain registered his words. “Wait me?”

He blushed. “Well, yes you. Look I’m bad with words and I never really thought you’d see me that way and every time I tried to bring it up nothing would come out right.” Katara didn’t have the words to respond either. Instead she stood on her toes and kissed him. The kiss warmed her stomach in a very pleasing way and she decided she really rather liked kissing Zuko. When she broke the kiss he looked a little dazed. “So you are interested?”

She smiled. “I have been for a very long time. I thought I was the only one since you had Mai and you never said anything.”

“I thought you didn’t like me because of everything I’ve done.”

“We forgave each other and you sat through ‘The Boy in the Iceberg’. I think that was punishment enough,” she teased. “But just so we’re clear: I like you, a lot. And you like me?”

He nodded. “A lot.”

“Ok so we like each other. Glad that’s settled.” Katara wrapped her arms around his neck. “Now we’re going to be kissing a lot more and you’re going to try to convince me to come visit the Fire Nation.”

His arms snaked around her waist. “Sounds like a plan to me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who left kudos!


	6. Socks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This turned out a little silly.

Zuko hated camping. He really truly did and didn’t understand what his friends fascination with it was. Except Toph. He entirely understood why Toph would want to sleep on the ground and be covered in dirt all day. He, however, did not. Maybe he was a little spoiled now but he wasn’t running from his sister and he definitely wasn’t banished (he’d made sure to completely revoke his banishment in his first week of being Fire Lord) so camping wasn’t exactly high on his list of activities he’d like to do.

His friends, however, insisted they all go on a camping trip together and he wasn’t about to not see them and not take this opportunity for a break. He’d stayed at the campsite, preferring not to go fishing with Sokka and Suki (which was actually Sokka telling him he’d scare off all the fish with his terrible fishing skills) or go hiking with the rest of them. He was perfectly happy to stay and watch the camp.

Not to mention it gave him a little time to watch Druk sniff around. Ever since Zuko got the little dragon he’d been fascinated with him. He’d watched the hatchling grow and now the four foot long dragon still tried to curl up in Zuko’s lap like he used to but, well, Zuko thought he was getting a little big for that. He couldn’t wait till Druk was big enough to ride. He was going to be the first Fire Lord since Sozin to ride a dragon between the Fire Nation islands. _Take that everyone who doubted me_ , he thought.

Zuko watched the dragon sniff around Sokka's belongings. Then everything seemed to slow down. He watched Druk’s nose touch Sokka’s sock and slowly his tongue curled around the odorous piece of clothing. Zuko tried to get up quickly but before he was even on his feet Druk had the sock in his mouth. He swallow and Zuko shouted “No!” Druk looked over at Zuko and Zuko could almost hear his thoughts. _Why did you let me do this Dad? Why did you let me eat the sock?_ Druk’s eyes asked Zuko. He quickly ran over to his dragon and picked him up. “It’s ok, it’s ok, I’ll make this better,” he said while rubbing the dragon’s back. There was a weak belch of pain from the dragon.

Zuko did the only sensible thing. He into the forest screaming for Katara.

~*~*~

Meanwhile Katara trailed slightly behind her two very enthusiastic companions. She didn’t mind hiking but she could do without the running commentary.

“I wonder if we’ll run into a skunk-bear,” Aang said as he looked from side to side. “I think they hang out in woods like this.”

“I don’t smell anything,” Toph commented, “but the rocks here are amazing! They have bits of metal in them too and I can almost separate the two. Twinkletoes carry some for me!” Aang dutifully picked up a few moderate sized rocks for Toph.

Katara rolled her eyes and pressed on. She kept her ears open for the sound of water to make sure they were still close to the stream. As she tried to tune out yet another weird animal Aang wanted to see (“maybe we’ll run into the sparrow-sloth or is that a myth?”) she could have sworn she heard someone call her name. 

Wait, no, she definitely heard someone call her name.

“Guys wait, I think-”

“Katara!” Zuko raced towards them, hair coming out of his top knot with a smattering of leaves stuck in there as well. He was cradling Druk to him and the dragon appeared to be sick. “Katara help!”

“What’s wrong?” Katara asked in her most motherly voice.

Zuko stopped and tried to catch his breath while speaking. “Druk...sock...mouth...bad.”

“Zuko you’re not making any sense,” Katara told him.

“Yeah, calm down Fire Lord Hotman, I’m sure whatever happened isn’t too bad,” Aang said.

“Don’t...call me that...very bad...Druk...sock!” He still panted at Katara.

Toph bent a chair out of a nearby rock for him and then pushed him down. “Sit and explain.”

Zuko gulped. “Bad. Druk ate a sock.”

“I’m sure that’s not going to hurt him,” Katara said soothingly.

“It was one of Sokka’s socks.”

“I need water right now this dragon is not going to die!” Katara shouted at Aang. The Avatar, master of all for elements, went running towards the river to get water for his irate waterbending Sifu. “I’m sure it will be fine,” Katara tried to reassure Zuko. “I can heal people and how hard can a dragon be?”

Zuko pulled Druk a little closer. “I was supposed to take care of him. I’m supposed to encourage the dragons to come out of hiding by showing them how I can take care of him. If I kill him the dragons won’t come back and it’ll all be my fault. I’ve let down the Fire Nation!” Toph whacked him in the back of the head. “Ow! What was that for?”

“Because you didn’t listen to Katara when she said she thinks she can heal your dragon. Either you listen to her or I smack you again.”

“I can have you arrested for that,” he told the petulant blind girl.

“Try me.”

Aang came rushing back just then, water trailing behind him. Katara quickly took control of half of it and gloved her hands in water. “Zuko I need to see his stomach,” Katara said as she approached. Reluctantly Zuko pried Druk off his shoulder and cradled him like a baby in his arms. Katara smiled down at the dragon. “Hi there, you know me. I’m just going to see if your tummy is ok,” she cooed. Smoke curled out of the dragons mouth. 

Katara set to work. She ran her hands over the dragon’s stomach, focusing on his inner workings. She knew he wasn’t going to feel like a human but she did feel similarities. She felt his stomach gurgling around the sock. She tried to calm it as best she could and checked for any internal damage. Feeling none she took her hands away from his stomach and looked up at Zuko. “He seems fine, his tummy is just upset. I might have to help him pass the sock though.”

“Huh?” Zuko asked.

“We’re going to have to watch his excrements to make sure the sock passes. I’m going to monitor him to make sure it doesn’t get stuck in his intestine.”

“Excrement?”

“She means poop. Even I know that,” Toph said.

Zuko made a sour face. “If I have to I will,” he promised. “And thank you, Katara, for saving Druk.”

“Thank me when the sock is out. And I think I know of a better person to go through his poop.”

It took a day and a half and a lof of whining from Sokka about dragon poop for the sock to be recovered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the kudos everyone!


	7. Slow Dancing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So ends another Zutara Week! With a modern AU again!

“Now you put your hands on my shoulders and I put mine on your waist,” Zuko instructed as he gently placed his hands properly. Then they began moving around the room, Zuko carefully leading Katara.

“This is stupid,” Katara muttered. Zuko rolled his eyes.

“You’re the one who wanted to learn how to slow dance for Toph and Aang’s wedding.”

“It’s only because she wants the maid of honor and best man to join them in their first dance. Which means I’m dancing with you,” she grumbled.

“Sorry that’s so terrible.”

She rolled her eyes. “Oh lighten up I didn’t mean it like that. I just, no it’s silly forget I said anything.”

“If you don’t tell me I’ll make you waltz with me,” he teased.

“You don’t know how to waltz.” To prove her wrong he took her right hand from his shoulder with his left. He firmly gripped her hip and started leading her around the room. Katara was secretly impressed at how he navigated her living room, avoiding all the furniture. Zuko spun her and she couldn’t help laughing. “I guess you do know how to waltz,” she finally admitted as he slowed.

“Two years of cotillion, Mom made me and Azula do it,” he told her. “Now tell me what you were thinking before or we’re going to waltz some more and maybe even foxtrot.”

“Fine,” she bit her lip and looked away. “See there’s always the assumption that the best man and maid of honor are going to, you know hook up after the wedding party and, well, we’re friends and I don’t want to feel awkward about it and maybe we should just, you know, do it now so it’s not weird when the party ends and we just get it out of our system.”

“Ok.”

“I know you wouldn’t be interest...wait what?” 

“Well we’re not dating anyone and we’re friends and if it’ll make you more comfortable then why not?”

“Oh, ok, good. So when do you want to do it?”

He pulled her a little closer. “Well, I’m here now.” She smiled and then pulled him towards her bedroom.

~*~*~

Katara gently ran her fingers up and down Zuko’s arms as he spooned her from behind, her blue sheets pulled up to their waists. “That was...not what I expected,” she said honestly.

Zuko nuzzled her neck but she could feel his muscles tense under her fingers. “Is that a good thing or a bad thing?”

“Very good thing,” she admitted. “I thought that rumor about firebenders and being able to heat their fingers was, well, a rumor. But thank you for proving me wrong.”

He hummed. “You’re welcome. Any other rumors you want to know about?”

She was very happy he couldn’t see her face because she was sure it was red. “Uh, see, there’s this one about stamina but, since we only did this so we wouldn’t feel awkward about it at the wedding I don’t know if you want to again.”

He kissed her neck. “I think we should again. Make sure its out of our system.”

She turned her head and kissed the corner of his mouth. “Yes, I like the sound of that. Just to make sure.” She rolled over and pushed him on his back.

He smiled up at her. “Yup, just making sure.”

~*~*~

The continued ‘getting it out of their system for two weeks.’ Katara told herself it was nothing and that they were just making sure they wouldn’t be stereotypes at the wedding. Two weeks before the wedding she told Zuko they had to stop. They were only doing this to get it out of their system and surely it was done now, wasn’t it?

For the two weeks before the wedding Katara had to admit she was frustrated and could only take out her excess energy with waterbending. She resisted calling Zuko for some relief, she’d stand firm!

The wedding came and Katara and Zuko walked down the aisle together. They’d spoken maybe five words to each other before but Katara had to admit, as she took her spot next to Aang as his best man, that Zuko looked really good in his tuxedo. She missed Toph walking down the aisle as she stared and then tried very hard not to laugh as she shoved her bouquet at Zuko. Katara watched him the entire ceremony and tried to not think about how they could sneak off to the bathroom for a quickie later.

As they walked behind the newly married couple Zuko whispered “you look beautiful.” Katara gripped his arm a little tighter.

“I love how you look good too.” Then she mentally berated herself and again tried not to think about how they’d seen each other naked.

Things were better at the reception. They sat on either side of the couple and Katara could at least focus on her food rather than on Zuko. Then the first dance came. She and Zuko stood to the side as they watched Toph and Aang dance. Then it was announced they should join and they took to the dance floor.

“You’ve been practicing,” Zuko commented as they spun around.

“Actually I’ve been waterbending a lot. I think that helps.”

“Oh, that’s good.”

“Yeah.” They kept spinning around the room and Katara began to feel a little dizzy.

“I was thinking,” Zuko began, “that, uh, maybe cliches aren’t so bad. I mean technically I’m the maid of honor and you should be propositioning me but I think we should go to the bathroom together.”

Katara smiled. “You know, I was thinking the exact same thing. Meet you in the hallway in ten minutes.”

“Before you go, just so we’re clear: now I’m asking you out and let it be known I caved and wanted a relationship first.”

Katara leaned in to whisper in his ear. “Noted and just so you know: I’ve been thinking about you all week and I’ve been very very lonely.”

“We’re meeting in five minutes.”


End file.
